PMO: Hamas is sabotaging hostage deal negotiations to pressure Israeli public
Israel has accepted the Qatari-proposed hostage deal, based on the Witkoff outline, while Hamas has rejected it, a senior official in the Prime Minister's office told reporters on Saturday.
The official noted that negotiations in Doha regarding the hostage deal are ongoing, claiming that talks were also held during the Sabbath with the mediators, as well as Egypt and Qatar.
According to him, the Israeli team was sent to Doha based on the Qatari proposal, to which Israel agreed, and received the necessary mandate for the talks. "Hamas rejected the Qatari proposal, is creating obstacles, refuses to compromise, and accompanies the talks with psychological warfare aimed at sabotaging the negotiations," the senior official in the Prime Minister's Office claimed.
The senior official in Netanyahu's office noted that Israel "has shown willingness for flexibility in the negotiations, while Hamas remains steadfast in its refusal, holding positions that do not allow the mediators to advance an agreement."
Earlier on Saturday, Palestinian officials told the BBC that hostage-ceasefire negotiations are on the verge of collapse.
A Palestinian official claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had purposefully sent a delegation to Doha, Qatar, with no real decision-making authority on key points of contention in order to buy Israel time while he visited Washington.
Israel's point of contention includes the deployment of IDF troops during the 60-day ceasefire period, The Jerusalem Post previously reported. Hamas claimed on Wednesday that on its side, there were several sticking points, including the flow of aid, withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, and "genuine guarantees' for a permanent ceasefire,' adding that the talks have been 'tough' due to Israel's 'intransigence.'
Hamas insists that aid must enter Gaza and be distributed through UN agencies and international relief organizations, while Israel has pushed for distribution through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
As of Thursday, talks reached 'a stalemate,' one source told the Post. 'We thought things would move faster due to American and Qatari pressure. At least a few more days of negotiations will be needed,' another source said.
Hamas objected to Israel's second proposal, which was submitted to mediators and outlined the deployment of IDF forces in the Gaza Strip during the proposed 60-day ceasefire.
The updated offer, presented late on Wednesday, includes increased Israeli flexibility regarding the presence of the IDF during the ceasefire in the area stretching south from the Morag Corridor toward the Philadelphi Corridor, located along the Gaza-Egypt border.
The deal on the table includes the release of 10 living hostages and the remains of 18 hostages in Gaza over a period of 60 days. In exchange, Israel will release an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners. This release will occur in parallel with the hostage releases, and without any public ceremonies.
In total, 50 hostages remain in Gaza, including 20 living hostages and the remains of 30 people.
Since last Sunday, Israeli and Hamas negotiators have attended eight rounds of indirect talks in separate buildings in Doha, according to the BBC. Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, and senior Egyptian intelligence officials have facilitated the talks. US envoy Brett McGurk has also been in attendance.
Amichai Stein contributed to this report.
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